8 Best Microphone for Filming

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This updated guide is for anyone who needs a microphone for filming. Read this short introduction if you’re unfamiliar with mics and enhanced audio. I will walk you through the basics so that you can make better-informed decisions. Your first job is to identify the type of product that best meets your needs and expectations. They come in different shapes, sizes, features, and recording quality.

Understanding Polar Patterns

A mic’s polar pattern is an invisible area that refers to how it picks up sound. Certain mics only pick up from the front. Others are sensitive to noise from the front and rear, and some from all directions. Each of these polar pick-up patterns has a name.

Omnidirectional: sensitive to sound from all directions

Bi-directional (figure-of-8): sensitive to sound from the front and back

Cardioid: Most sensitive from the front

There are also supercardioid and hypercardioid mics which are like cardioid, but narrower (see below).

Choosing Your Polar Pattern

Understanding the directional sensitivity of a microphone is vital. What works best depends on your filming needs, location, and desired effect. A common newbie buying blunder is to overlook the polar pattern on a mic. Here’s a rough breakdown of how they benefit different situations:

You should now have an idea of which polar pattern best suits your style of recording. Note too that you can also buy multi-pattern mics that let you switch between polar patterns.

Choosing the right Mic for YOU

Below are 5 types of microphones to familiarize yourself with:

Handheld mics

Shotgun mics

Stereo Mics

Wired Lavalier- mics

Wireless mics

Let’s now take a brief look at each of the above.

#1 Handheld Microphone Pros

Handheld mics are the industry standard for live interviews. Consider one of these if you do—or plan to do—a lot of interview filming. Handheld microphones have several advantages. You can alter the placement of them to create a desired effect. There are lots of choices available too. They include sound quality, pickup patterns, price, and designs.

Many modern handheld microphones have added buttons or switches to perform certain recording functions. This type of mic also gives you total control over the volume and effects—with practice.

The Cons

You must mount the mic onto a stand if you want to be handsfree. That keeps you in a fixed position, so no moving around. Achieving the perfect distance from the mic takes practice. Newbies may encounter inconsistent sound until they master mic-to-voice space. Also, too close can produce plosive noises or p-pops. They are the t, k, p, d, g, and b sounds.

#2 Shotgun Microphone Pros

Shotgun mics are superb tools if you want to film musicians and solo instruments. There are lots of high-quality shotgun microphones to choose from at reasonable prices. Their precise pickup pattern gives you better control than other types. There are audio-enhancing accessories available like booms—extendable arms—and blimps. The latter helps to eliminate wind noise with outdoor shoots.

The Cons

The extras needed to work with shotgun mics can make the rig expensive. Also, these products do not produce good results in tiny spaces or rooms that echo.

#3 Stereo Microphone Pros

Stereo microphones have two mics built into a single unit. That enables them to record sound akin to the human ear. Recording with stereo mics can provide pleasing depth and confident direction. The result can appear natural as they pick up both the source and surrounding ambiance. Consider stereo mics if you film on location and want to replicate realistic sounds.

The Cons

Stereo mics are not the best choice for recording dialogue or solo vocals. Small inconsistencies in verbal performance become evident and can be a distraction for the listener. This type of mic is just too sensitive for single-source recording. Also, post-editing stereo recordings are not as easy or as straightforward as with mono mics. The extra built-in mic also results in bigger file sizes.

#4 Wired Lavalier Microphone Pros

Lavalier mics are those tiny buds that users clip to lapels and ties, etc. An advantage of these products is that you can fix them close to the source. That results in better audio quality than mics mounted on cameras. There aren’t any cables to trip over either, and you have the freedom to move around. They’re especially suitable for interviews. That’s why many lavalier kits come with two mics in the box.

The Cons

Lapel type mics can be susceptible to wireless interference. The omnidirectional polar patterns can also pick up unwanted surround sounds. Plus, you may need to wire up the interviewee and run a few sound checks. Lastly, you must always remember to carry extra batteries as a precaution.

#5 Wireless Microphone Pros

Wireless mics give you total freedom to move around. They’ve come a long way in recent years with quality, functionality, and reliability. You can freely pass handheld wireless mics around if you need to. That’s invaluable if you film Q&A sessions or debates, etc. There are no cables to damage, carry around, or trip over—it happens. They sound perfect, but there are a few downsides.

The Cons

The biggest drawback of wireless mics is their limited range. Those at the higher end have gotten a lot better in recent years. These microphones—like all wireless technology—can encounter dead spots and unwanted interference.

Summing Up

OK, that’s my brief introduction to the types of microphones, typical uses, and polar patterns. There’s plenty more to learn, but you should have a good idea of what kind of mic to consider. The quality of your audio matters as much—if not more—than the quality of your video, so choose with care.

About My Best ‘Microphone for Filmmaking’ Guide

Buying a mic never used to be this overwhelming, but today there are 100s of choices. I’ve reviewed dozens of the best-selling products before settling on a shortlist of eight. I took user feedback as well as the opinions of industry experts into consideration as part of the selection process. These mics are from all price categories and suitable for multiple applications as outlined in the mini-reviews.

The first three are Editor’s choice for Best Budget, the Best Value, and the Top Pick. The five under those are by price, lowest to high. Here’s a glance at the microphones reviewed on the page.

TAKSTAR Interview Mic Highlights

Mic Compatibility: Nikon and Canon Cameras, DV camcorder.

The sound quality of TAKSTAR’s SGC-598 interview microphone easily beats others in its class. It’s simple to set up, sells well, and gets plenty of positive feedback online. That’s reassuring for those new to using external mics for recording. A single AA battery powers it and should last for up to 100 hours. There’s even a low power indicator to inform users when it’s time to change the battery.

This mic uses a heart-shaped polar pattern to reduce unwanted noise from the sides and back. There’s also a foam windbreaker in the box to cut down noise further. However, a furry dead cat is a must-have if you film outdoors in windy locations. Something like the Movo WS3 would do the job.

The Not So Good

The SGC-598 is quite large and bigger still with the furry dead cat on. It may get in the way sometimes depending on the user’s setup. This shotgun microphone has a decent range, but you need to get in closer than 5 feet for the best results.

AT2020 Studio Microphone Highlights

The AT2020 is the new standard in affordable, lightweight, and durable all-metal XLR microphones. It comes with a stand mount and soft storage pouch. Consider the AT2020 if you want to take your YouTube videos or podcast audio to the next level. That includes vocals as well as speech. The microphone boasts a wide dynamic range and easily handles high Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs).

Newbies should note that this is an XLR microphone, not a USB. That means you need an audio interface—mixer—to use it. An audio interface is a box to plug mics and other sound/recording devices into. The quality and flexibility are much better than USB mics but more hassle.

The Not So Good

The biggest negative with Audio-Technica’s AT2020 XLR mic is its weak bass. That won’t affect everyone but look to other options if you need more bass when you film. This mic is also quite sensitive to pop and breath, but it doesn’t come with a pop filter. Don’t let that put you off. Quality pop filters are inexpensive and easy to come by, like those offered by Whisperteknik.

AT875R Shotgun Mic Highlights

The AT875R shotgun mic is an outstanding product for the money. It’s the next step up for anyone who shoots film with a digital compact camera or DV camcorder. This mic is short at only 7”, which makes it an excellent choice for compacts. There are no unwanted sounds like background noise and hiss either. The superb sound rejection makes it a quiet performer with natural results.

Audio-Technica’s AT875R mic costs more than most products on this page, but it’s cost-effective. There’s no—or very little—post-processing needed. You can record in a room with the air conditioning blasting and barely notice it. Most are pleased with the AT875R going by the user feedback. It seems to keep everyone happy from independent filmmakers, VO artists, and professional videographers.

Note to newbies: This is not a plug-n-play USB computer microphone. It needs phantom power to operate and works well with audio recorders like the Tascam DR-40X.

The Not So Good

The AT875R works exactly as advertised, but is void of mic enhancements. For example, it lacks normal/tele mode, dB boost, and doesn’t have battery operation. Also, it’s advertised as a great choice for DV camcorders but doesn’t include a shock mount for that. You need to buy the XLR cable separately too if you don’t already have one.

Comica Smartphone Mic Highlights

Video and photographic quality of modern smartphones have come a long way, but not the audio. Comica’s smartphone mic exists to enhance your presentations with vastly improved sound. There’s a lot to this kit, but it’s super easy to assemble. All parts are ultra-lightweight and durable.

This multi-function kit has everything you need in one box.

Professional microphone

Flexible, soft, non-slip smartphone clamp

TPS-TRRS cable

Handheld/desktop sturdy tripod

Foam wind muff

Dead cat windshield

Neat carrying case with foam cutouts and lid pocket

Microphone Audio Quality

The audio quality is a vast improvement to the built-in mics of electronic devices. The mic is a shotgun cardioid design that captures sound mostly from the front. That means it ignores unwanted noise from the sides and rear. The entire body uses aluminum to strengthen its anti-interference function still further. It’s a quality mobile mic set that should last for years with proper care.

The design and full functionality of this product make it easy-to-use and professional. Those who buy it are unlikely to ever go back to the tiny internal mics of their smartphones or other devices.

The Not So Good

The smartphone holder—though excellent—needs a lot of turns to open. That’s no reason not to buy this kit, but it is annoying if you mount and unmount your devices often.

Tascam Stereo DSLR Mic Highlights

Mic Compatibility: All DSLRs with a 3.5mm audio jack.

TASCAM’s TM-2X has a unique floating support structure. It works by cutting out any noise that might otherwise travel to the mic when the camera shakes. There are two cardioid mics attached to a 180° vari-angle structure. That’s useful as it lets you point the mic directly to the sound source. Other neat features are the Low/Hight sensitivity switch and a built-in Low-cut filter.

Some DSLR autofocus lenses make a lot of noise as they adjust. The designers of the TASCAM TM-2X have thought about that too. Its noise isolation extension arm gives the mic some distance from the camera to reduce autofocus sounds. And the included dead cat windscreen vastly reduces any wind noise when filming outdoors. There are also cord holders that help to keep everything neat and tidy.

The Not So Good

There are some personal gripes with this mic depending on user expectations and their DSLR setup. The only shared complaint I came across was for the noise isolation arm. It works as advertised, but it’s quite flimsy and may break if knocked or with rough treatment. It’s an invaluable extra for use with autofocus lenses, so the shared criticism for it is well justified.

Rode Video Microphone Highlights

Rode’s VideoMic is a shotgun microphone with a supercardioid pickup pattern. It attenuates side noise and picks up sound only from the front. Supercardioid is narrower than the cardioid pattern. That makes it valuable for recording in noisy places. Sound quality is enhanced further by the Rycote Lyre thermoplastic suspension structure. It works by decoupling the mic from unwanted camera vibrations.

The VideoMic only weighs 6.21 ounces, which is light considering its size and built-in features. You can also mount it onto Rode’s professional boompoles if you need elevated audio capture. It’s the mic’s versatility and audio enhancements that make this such a popular choice.

Built-In Audio Enhancements

The microphone’s built-in audio enhancements are worth mention. The barrel-canceling pickup works with the polar pattern to cancel unwanted audio from the sides. A selectable 10 or 20dB pad lessens the mic’s sensitivity. That’s useful as it lets you work with higher SPL levels without losing quality. And the High-Pass Filter switch helps to eradicate room ambiance and noise below 80Hz.

The Not So Good

Rode’s VideoMic is long and bulky for a shotgun and has an awkward shape that puts it off-center. It doesn’t stray into the frame, but it does look a tad awkward mounted on a DSLR. A lesser con is that it only takes non-rechargeable batteries. That’s not a major setback, but it’s a little disappointing for a 21st-century product.

Zoom SSH-6 Stereo Microphone Highlights

Add the Zoom SSH-6 to your shortlist if you film interviews. It can focus on the sound source with pro-level accuracy, and it offers onboard sound monitoring and processing. The vocal reproduction is outstanding. It’s a super-directional device with three mics, one top, two on the sides. The top mic picks up sound in the center, and its bidirectional ones pick up sound from the left and right sides.

Setting up out of the box could not be easier or quicker. The SSH-6 clips into place on the H5, H6, or Q8 recorders in a nanosecond. That’s it—you’re ready to record.

Ideal Applications

Postproduction has few limits with the SSH-6 attached to an H5/H6 or Q8 recorder. You get to blend in precise amounts of environmental sound to accompany the dialogue. That makes the SSH-6 the perfect setup for quality video, film, live theater, and more. The 5V preamp vastly reduces distortion effects even at the higher volumes. And the included hairy dead cat significantly reduces wind noise.

The Not So Good

The cons for the Zoom SSH-6 are only minor. One is that it won’t store in the stock case wearing the furry dead cat. It’s a minor gripe, but little annoyances do matter to some. The design of this mic makes it quite bulky too, especially when it’s attached to a recorder. A smaller version of the same thing would be a welcome development.

Sennheiser MKE600 Shotgun Mic Highlights

Mic Compatibility: Video DSLRs, camcorders

The MKE 600 shotgun mic has an impressive range with some exciting capabilities. It functions with either phantom power or a single AA battery for up to 150 hours. It’s an exceptional tool for recording direct sound thanks to its super-cardioid pick-up pattern. It attenuates all noise from the sides and rear. Other audio enhancements come from a switchable low-cut filter and the foam windshield.

Mounting is straightforward using the shock mount or integrated camera shoe. Users can record with confidence in outdoor as well as indoor environments. The all-aluminum build gives this mic a quality look and feel that plastic products don’t have. Its XLR interface lets you record in ultra-high-quality through a recorder of choice. The side of the mic also has an ON/OFF switch and an LED indicator.

Sennheiser’s MKE600 Shotgun Mic is versatile and performs consistently in multiple environments. That includes brick halls, small spaces, average size rooms, gyms, and outdoor settings.

The Not So Good

The only gripe with the Sennheiser MKE600—considering its price—is the sub-standard shock mount. It’s as if it got added by accident as everything else about this product is high-quality.

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